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The Mission of the Institute is to provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write in order to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to national defense.

Called “the nation’s premier naval reference book,” The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World is internationally acknowledged as the best one-volume reference to the world’s naval and paranaval forces. Updated regularly since 1976, it has come to be relied on for all-inclusive, accurate, and up-to-date data on the ships, navies, coast guards, and naval aviation arms of more than 170 countries and territories. Large fleets and small maritime forces get equally thorough treatment. Comprehensive indexes make the book easy to use and allow for quick comparisons between ships and fleets.

This new 16th edition, presents information on all the major and minor maritime developments that could impact the world scene in the years to come. Heavily illustrated with 4,450 black & white photos and 179 multi-view line drawings, Combat Fleets provides the user with the most detailed views available for identification and comparison purposes. Additional aids for the user include a section on how to use the book, lists of terms and abbreviations,an informative ship-name index, and more. An expanded chapter on the Chinese navy provides major updates on the status of their new aircraft carrier and the latest Chinese submarines, surface ships and naval missiles. Dozens of detailed line drawings depict exactly where weapons and sensors are located on the world’s combatants such as the Iranian Ghadir-class submarines, the French Forbin-class destroyers, and the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships.

The ship data section for each country provides full coverage of all ships, from the largest aircraft carriers to the smallest training and auxiliary craft. The vessels of the world’s coast guards and customs services are given thorough treatment as well. But the book is much more than a ship encyclopedia. It includes information on the personnel strengths of each country’s naval forces, major base locations, and details on maritime radar, sonar, naval aircraft, and weapon systems currently in service.

~ Praise for Combat Fleets of the World ~

“This book is a must for all naval enthusiasts.”

– The Navy: The Magazine of the Navy League of Australia

“Often compared with the other global directory of fighting ships, Combat Fleets is in this reviewer's opinion, more comprehensive and more encompassing. At about a third the price of its competitor it is difficult to understand why anyone persists with the other. An invaluable intelligence asset and a superior sales tool for ship builders and aircraft manufacturers. The ultimate.”

– Work Boat World (Australia)

“A book like this is for the serious reader and researcher, yet offers hours of informative browsing, each entry often quickly falling into the 'I didn't know that!' category. Highly recommended!”

– Naval Aviation News

"...this16th edition of Combat Fleets of the World presents a credible, over-the-horizon threat to Jane's preeminence. One of its major weapons is price--less than $300, compared to $1,160 for the print version of Jane's. Libraries experiencing the ill winds of budget constraints and seeking similar information would do well to purchase Combat Fleets. Summing up: Highly recommended."

— Choice

"[This book] belongs on the bridge of every serious warship, and in the library of every naval planner, engineer, modeler, intelligence analyst, wargamer and enthusiast."

— The NYMAS Review

"Once again, Combat Fleets has set the bar for comprehensive reference works on the world's navies. It is the benchmark."

— Warships International Fleet Review

"Combat Fleets is now perhaps the premier reference book on the naval fleets of the world, and fully meets the criterion of “essential reading” for any naval or sea power analyst."

Eric Wertheim is a defense consultant, columnist, and author specializing in naval and air force issues. As an author and editor, he tracks, analyzes, and compiles data and photography on every vessel, aircraft, and major weapon system in every naval and paranaval force in the world--from Albania to Zimbabwe. The work is published as the Naval Institute Press' definitive Guide to Combat Fleets of the World. Eric has served as speechwriter for senior Pentagon officials and as a consultant to best-selling authors, publishers, and nonprofit organizations--and has been instrumental in the advancement of numerous high-technology weapons and concepts. A columnist for Proceedings magazine since 1994, he is co-author of Chronology of the Cold War at Sea, among other books.

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Naval Institute Guide to COMBAT FLEETS OF THE WORLD, 15th Edition

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